Yielding barrier for stopping vehicles



Dec.,27, 1927. 1,653,670

E. D. sAwYER YIELDING BARRIER STOPPING VEHICLES 'Filed July s, 1922 00A/.MW

Patented Dec. 27, 1927.

EMERSON SAWYER,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

YIELDING BARRIER :con srorrme VEHICLES.

Application filed July 8,

My invention relates to improvements in yielding barriers for stopping vehicles, and has for its principal object the provision of a means to support a yielding barrier between two standards tautly yet economically.`

A second object oi my invention is the provision of devices by means of which the tension in the several parte of a yielding barrier network may be equalized `when stretched between its standards or columns.

A third object of my invention is the proards and mcchanism`` which support the yielding barrier.

Fig. 2 is a detail elevation ot one end of the invention proper shown in connection with its` adjacent part. v

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the auxiliary supporting arrangement for supporting the ieldinof barrier embodied in the invention.,

The type of Vyielding barrier device to which the present invention is attached is shown in Fig. 1 to consist of two `standards or columns 1 and 2, said standards having operating motors and reduction gears and 4 connected to carriages 5 and 6 by means ot chain members 7 and 8.` Said carriages 5 and 6 are counterbalanced by means ot counterweights 9 and 10 through cable members 11 and 12. Cable members 11 and 12 are connected directly or indirectly through carriages 5 and 6 to the ends of the roadway portion ot a yielding barrier stretched 'across the roadway. 'Referring now to Fig. 2, the

roadway portion ci the yielding barrier con! eiste ci top cable i3 and bottom cable 1922. serial No. 573,759.

with `intermediate cable 0r cables 15. I choose to show top and bottom cables 13 and 14 to be connected through carriages 5 and 6, yet intermediate cable or cables 15 may also be connected through carriagev 5 and carriage 6 without departing trom the spirit of the invention.

Again in Fig. 3 is shown the auxiliary cable supporting device which includes members 16 secured to the carriages 5 and 6, by `suitable means. To each of the members 16 is secured an end of a link 17 having its opposite end `lixed to an end of a spring member 18. To the opposite end oi the spring member is iixed an end of a link member 19having its opposite end fixed to part 2O oi a turn-bucklev 22. To the part 22 is fixed the reserve cable 11. It isreadily seen that said auxiliary supporting devices made up ofthe parts above indicated will serve as a means of maintaining tautness in the cable to which they are attached independent ot the tension induced in said i cable by means of its connection through carriages 5 and 6, and cable members 11 and 12 to gravity counterweights 9 and 10.' This feature of my invention permits ot having a taut cable or taut cables in the roadway portion of the yielding barrier without the use of excessively heavy counterweights.

By the provision of the turn-buckles cony sisting ot' parts 20, 21 and 22 it is possible `by adjusting these parts to take up the slack in the various cables embodying the yielding barrier and to make the tension on all the ,cables equal.

4ln Fig. 2 are shown diagonal cables 23 and 2-1- and rigid spacer bar 25. The object of these parts is to produce a. bridlinget't'ect within the network of cables which make up the roadway portion of the barrier, such that when the roadway portion ot the yielding barrier is struck by a moving vehicle with,` anirregular front thus causing one cable only to be placed in tension then the several cables composing the network will be withdrawn from within or throughthe carriages 5 and 6 practically as a unite .lt is to be un-3 derstood that the auxiliary cable supporting devices are to be made only strong enouoh to support tbe network tautly across tie roadway while the tension adjusting devices are to be made as strong as the main cables of' the roadway portion of the yielding barrier. Thus when the yielding barrier is struck by a moving vehicle, members 1S will break and allow the full tension of the Iletwork cables to be transmitted tothe cable members ll and l2. With the present'type of yielding barrier it is practically impossible to make the several cables which pass into or through the carriages Vwithdraw equally unless the front of the vehicle is a. plane surface big enough to engage all the' cables, simultaneously which condition rarely exists in actual practice. i

llVliileI liaveillustrated and-described theA preferred form of construction` for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable ofv prising. a flexible network includinga plu-l raltyfof-'horizontally disposed flexible inember's; rigid upright members` at the ends of said network; and diagonal` members con-j nectiiig the ends of said rigid members with one or moi'e of said flexible members.

2. A device of the class described comprisingu a flexible network including aplurality of horizontally disposed flexible members;

rigid upright members ,at the ends of said network and diagonal" members connecting the tops and" bottoms of said rigid members with the bottom and topflexible membersv respectively. l

SWA device of the class described comprising a flexible' network includingA two vertically spaced horizontally disposed flexible members constituting the top and bottom of said network; rigid upright members atthe ends of said network; diagonali members connecting the tops and bottoms ofr said rigid membersvwitli the bottom and tophori Zontal flexible members respectively; and a third intermediate horizontal flexible mem-` horizontally disposed cable members and diagonally disposed cable members attached to said Vfirst named. cable members, i adjustable members at the end` of said ibarrierp and cable members attached to" the adjustable vhorizontally disposed cable members and diagonally disposed cable members attached to saidifirst named cable members, adjustable members the end of said barrier, cable members attached to the adjustable members for supporting the barrieracross a roadway, and spring members serving as auxiliary means for supporting the barrier across said roadway, said spring members being adapted to break when an impact is received by the barrier. i

A device of the class described including abarrier, members liaviiigmeaiis of at y tacliment to the barrier and adapted to`snp port the barrier across a roadway for stopping a vehicle on said roadway, and spring` members serving as auxiliarymeans for sup-` porting the` barrier across the roadway,said

spring members being adapted to break when an impact is received by the barrier 8. A flexible barrier construction comprisf ing columns at opposite" sides of the roadway; a flexible network extending across the y roadway; means in said columns for supporting and vertically moving said network;

and auxiliary means for attaching the "ends" of saidiiietwork directlyto elements connected with said columns.

`9. 'A flexible barrier construction comprisingcolunms at opposite sides of the roadway; a flexible network extending across the roadwayameans in said columns for supporting and vertically movinnf said networ i;

and auxiliary; yielding means for supporting the ends of saidvnetwork directly to elements y ceiinected: with said columns;`

M ]A flexible` barrier construction comprising columns at 'opposite sides of the roadway; a flexible network extending across v the roadway; means insaid columns for sup port-ing and vertically moving` said network; andauxiliary adjustable and yieldable means forI supporting the ends of. saidiietworkr di,- rectly to elements connected with `said columns.`

11. A flexible barrier construction com-` prising` columns at opposite sides of the roadway a flexible network extending across` the roadway; means in said columns for supporting and vertically moving said network; and auxiliary means including a turn lll() llll lill) buckle, and a resilient breakable element for supporting each end of said network directly to elements connected with said columns.

12. A flexible barrier construction comf prising columns at opposite sides of the roadway; a. flexible network extending across the roadway; rigid upright members at the ends of said network; reserve cables operating in said columns and connected with Said rigid upright members; means for moving Vl0 said reserve members vertically in said columns; and auxiliary means for supporting each of said rigid members directly to elements connected with the corresponding column, including a turn buckle7 and a 15 resilient breakable link.

EMERSON D. SAWYER. 

